Final Essay

What is Photoshop?

GoPro 360view

If you have google chrome this is incredible. click on the arrows in the top left had corner

Shakespearean Poetry

The sonnet we read in class is Shakespearean because of its tone and structure. The poem consists of several sets of four lines with ab-ab rhyming schemes, then shifting to an aa rhyming scheme in the last couplet. The other characteristic that makes it Shakespearean is the shift in tone in the last couplet from satirical and insulting to geniuine and almost sweet. The first lines of the poem make fun of love poems by realistically describing someone in a seemingly insulting way. However the shift in the last couplet makes it real. By describing a persons imperfections and then saying that the author still loves the woman shows a new type of "real" love poem, over a fake mushy poem saying how unrealistically beautiful someone is. 

Too Amazing not to share

If Macbeth didn't kill

If Macbeth didn't take things into his own hands and go out and kill for power the entire play would be different. First off, if Macbeth just let things be and didn't gain power at other peoples expense but rather through bettering himself, the play wouldn't be nearly as interesting. The entire play shows how he slowly gets more and more paranoid killing people left and right, without the paranoia, there would be a very different mood to the play. There would also be a very different tone because Shakespeare would be talking about a different subject matter and thus the theme would also be different. Most of these things (tone, mood...) would just be the reciprical of what they are in the original play. For instance the tone would be working hard is the right way to do things rather than ambition could lead to your demise.

Outdoor School

I know this post is really long but it's important to me so please read. I promise it gets more interesting the further in you go.

             I just missed an entire week of school. I have several hours’ worth of makeup work to do. I have to take several tests on Monday. I am going to fail those tests. Do I regret missing school? Absolutely not.

            This past week I decided to go to The Outdoor School with 103 sixth graders from Dunlap Elementary School. I went as a cabin leader with several other students from Righetti, to help the campers have the best experience possible. All the cabin leaders had to come up with fun “nature names” like “Willow” or in my case “Shark Bait.” My role specifically was to be in charge of a group of 13 boys who were in my cabin, “Pismo.” Every night they slept in my cabin and every day I was responsible for making sure they got to activities on time and that they were all quiet and asleep by 9:30. I was also assigned to a dining table where myself and a group of six campers sat to eat every meal together. I made sure they ate enough good food and only took what they could eat so they had minimal waste. I was also placed into a hiking group. The “Fleas” and I went on all the curriculum hikes together listening to the naturalist tell us about specific things about the environment as we hiked: plants, animals, geology, Chumash culture, and a Night hike. On these hikes it was my responsibility to keep the kids quiet while the naturalist talked, encourage kids to get involved asking questions and participating, and lastly making sure no one fell behind on the hikes.

            It may seem like I had a lot of responsibilities when it came to being a Cabin Leader, but it was probably the most fun I’ve had all year. I got to hang out with 11 of my good friends, and develop interesting relationships with kids who didn’t know my real name. I had the opportunity to be a role model for kids who were at an age that they really need one. I remember back when I was in sixth grade and was at outdoor school, I really looked up to the cabin leaders. They were much more relatable than a 30 year old naturalist or a 50 year old teacher. The cabin leaders were in High School. They were the “cool big kids” whom every sixth grader wanted to be. Last week, I got to be that “cool big kid.” All the kids needed the Cabin Leaders for one reason or another. The trouble makers needed someone positive who would give them a reason to be good. The ones who were too afraid to put themselves out there needed someone who would back them up when they did. The quiet ones needed someone who would hear them speak. The bullied needed someone to look out for them. The outsiders needed someone who would include them. I had a different experience with every kid. Every kid looked up to me in a different way. And not to sound full of myself, but it felt good. To go from a world and community where you have no voice, where you are the bottom of the food chain where its every man for himself, to a place where you not only have power, but you’re looked up to and admired, where people respect your leadership and authority, is incredible.  I’ve always enjoyed activities where I get to lead, from refereeing to school activities, but nothing compares being a cabin leader.

            During outdoor school, I woke up at 6:30 every morning, a whole hour before I wake up for school, and I felt energized. The days were exhausting, and I still woke up early every day ready to start the day. I didn’t feel groggy, I never yawned, I was alert. I still don’t have a definite answer why. Taking care of preteens is supposed to be exhausting and it was but I still don’t feel tired. I have a few theories. The first is the energy of the kids. The kids woke up excited to see what the day would hold, and maybe there excitement wore off on me. Second is the fact that I went to bed at a reasonable hour. Lights out in the cabins at 9:30, and even though I didn’t go to sleep until 10:30, I still was asleep earlier than at school. My last theory is my individual experience. I love the outdoors, I love the adventure of the unknown, of seeing knew things, and waking up in a new, beautiful place excited me. Though all of these reasons seem valid the exhaustion hasn’t caught up to me. There is no doubt that this week should have been tiring and no matter what the reason I awoke with energy is, I just am not that tired. Don’t get me wrong I’m not upset I’m not tired, I’m just confused. Maybe the fresh air is the cure to tired.

            As a Cabin Leader I had to help the kids learn, but I have to say, I learned a lot myself. My masterpiece is all about getting outdoors. I absolutely love hiking and getting away from it all, getting dirty hiking through the woods, camping, just full on nature. Outdoor school has reinforced that. Because of outdoor school I have learned the value of opening your mind to the world around you. That sometimes you need to shut up and listen, that hiking at night without a light can be beautiful. That a week without internet and TV and cars and long showers and clean clothes and a working toilet, and all the other modern conveniences really isn’t that bad. While there is value in “coming prepared,” there are things you really don’t need. I only wore two different pairs of pants and a pair of shorts the whole week and switched off between three shirts. I wore the same jacket and same sweatshirt all week. I could have packed in a small backpack. I didn’t need my phone or its charger. There are a lot of things that I would have normally brought but didn’t and I’m glad, because I didn’t need them. Would I have been more comfortable with more stuff? Yeah, probably, but I would have ruined the experience. We all get so worried with being comfortable and bringing all our modern things with us that we forget that the whole reason we go to the outdoors is to get away from all those things, because otherwise, we really aren’t going to the outdoors. I’m not saying show up with shorts and a T-shirt and that’s it, but really think about what you’re bringing places and if you really need it. Enjoy nature as it comes, don’t modify (and therefore ruin) the experience.

            The reason I post this to my blog is because it relates to masterpieces. The point of our masterpieces is to be a leader inspiring people with our work and our passion, asking questions and insisting on answers. My Outdoor School experience was just that. I lead and inspired sixth graders, I found my love for nature and have been inspired to continue to explore it through hiking and backpacking. I had fun experiences with my fellow cabin leaders making memories, another thing I love very much, inspiring me to take people with my backpacking for more memories. As far as I’m concerned I’ve done my masterpiece. I’ve learned a lot, I’ve become inspired, and I did something I love. I know it’s my masterpiece because I loved it so much I’m going to keep doing it. The point isn’t to finish it’s to find what you love. And I have.

Outdoor school is an experience I will never forget.

Young Goodman Brown Essay

             As people get older they begin caring about what other people think about them. A child will wear two different shoes and his or her shirt inside out without a care in the world, but eventually they are taught that they need to dress a certain way and behave a certain way in public. They are taught standards, and administered punishment if they don’t meet these standards. As people grow up they must conform to these standards outwardly while they inwardly question why they have to be quiet and wear two shoes that are the same color. We are taught that we must do what everybody else is doing, because what everyone else is doing is right, and this carries on throughout our lives changing who we are and what our instincts to do are. Young Goodman Brown struggles with outward conformity and inward questioning in a parallel way. In the story he watches the entire town participate in a devil worshiping ritual. Everything he ever knew as good in the world was being tarnished in front of him. Every standard he had ever been taught was ripped from him, and he struggled between going with the crowd and sticking to what he knew.

            In Puritan societies of the early development of New England, children are taught god is good, and that the only thing they have to worry about in life is worshipping god and staying away from the devil. Goodman Brown was taught this. From his beginnings he outwardly conformed to worship god the Puritan way. If he showed any inward questioning he would be deemed devil worshipped and killed. His morals and beliefs were what he was taught as a child: god.

            When it came to the night in the forest, Goodman Brown’s beliefs were put into question. He felt the pressure to conform as he watched everyone including his symbolically named wife Faith, participate in a devil worshipping ceremony. Goodman Brown’s God fearing instincts and his love for Faith allow him to question what he is seeing and not initially go with the crowd. However after seeing even his Faith be tainted by the devil he gives in because the truest thing held to him, his beliefs, were tarnished.

            If we are stripped of what we hold to be true, stripped of the foundation of our very being, our ability to question, we are left with nothing but out ward conformity. Goodman Brown’s struggle with outward conformity and inward questioning is a good demonstration of humanity. Take away who you are on a personal level, and you are left with nothing but the chaos around you.

"Out Out" Essay

             Most people would agree that society focuses to heavily on working and making money rather than enjoying life and living it to its fullest potential. In his poem “Out Out,” Robert Frost demonstrates this through strong imagery, personification, and a shocking transition from peace to violence.  Frost begins the poem with imagery describing the surrounding landscape, showing how beautiful the world is and how enjoyable it could be without work. Frost then transitions to the boy working, juxtaposing the beauty of the mountains with the “snarling” of the buzz saw, personifying the saw as an evil being. Frost mentions how the boy longed to get even a half hour break so he could be a boy rather than be forced into doing “man’s work” while “still a boy at heart.” The boy’s sister soon arrives and announces supper is ready. Frost again personifies the saw “leaping” out of the boy’s hand and cutting his other one. Though the accident happened because the boy lost concentration, Frost blames the situation. If the boy hadn’t been forced into an early man hood and made to work, or had been given that half hour break, he would never have gotten hurt.

            If the boy had been allowed to enjoy his childhood, he wouldn’t have been working, and if he wasn’t working, he wouldn’t have been called for supper and been distracted and wouldn’t have cut his hand. Frost blames the work for the death of the boy demonstrating how making children do too much work can have severe consequences. While death may be a bit hyperbolic, it is clear that child labor can negatively affect a child. Children don’t always have the same attention span and same understanding for the importance of work and thus accidents like the one described by Frost can happen. Along with physical harm there is psychological damage that can come to a working child. In the beginning of the poem Frost mentions how the boy wanted to have a half an hour break to do things a boy would do like run around and play. Studies have shown that children who don’t play enough as children lack the social and creative skills necessary in adulthood for real jobs, while a farmhand may not need these skills, they are needed if the child every decided to leave the farm or to do business selling things in town.

            At the end of the poem, after the boy dies, all the on lookers, the boy’s sister and presumably the boy’s parents just return to work, unaffected by the death of a young innocent boy, since they “weren’t the ones dead.” This is another comment by Frost on the effect of work on society. If the people had taken the time away from work to develop a personal relationship with the boy they would have felt a pain from losing him. The people were too involved in their work to feel they needed to grieve for the boy. Even if the people didn’t know the boy they should still be effected by his death. Frost is showing that people have become so money oriented that they aren’t even impacted by the death of a boy right in front of them. If people cared about others as much as they did about money or themselves they would have stopped to help the boy and grieve for his passing instead of just turning their backs and going on with their lives.

            In conclusion, “Out Out,” by Robert Frost is social commentary on the negative impact of over working. If people stopped working and lived, building relationships and seeing the world, a lot of unnecessary consequences could be prevented, and life itself could become more enjoyable.

"Out Out" Poem Analysis Prompt

1971 Poem: “The Unknown Citizen” (W.H. Auden)

Prompt: In a brief essay, identify at least two of the implications implicit in the society reflected in the poem. Support your statements by specific references to the poem.

This prompt most defiantly fits the poem “Out Out” by Robert Frost, because the entire poem comments on society.  Frost reflects how over working is negatively affecting our society by consuming us and taking away life’s enjoyment.

Blog Feedback

You know my blog is beautiful and you should choose it to win:)

YouTube Channel pt. 3

Since everyone is going to be looking at each others blog in the next few days/ weeks I thought I'd take this opportunity to make another post about my YouTube Channel so people can see it and hopefully please go subscribe to my YouTube Channel. Like I said in previous posts you probably haven't read I am trying to build a YouTube Channel for my masterpiece and it would be a big help if you could go and subscribe to it and like all (two) of my videos. I will have another video coming up by the end of this week from kayaking this past weekend and then next weekend I'm thinking about doing a video about my trip to San Diego with Noah Hernandez to visit UCSD and SDSU, and show all the shenanigans he and I get up to. Once again please subscribe to my YouTube Channel. thanks.
By the way the channel is called JoeyB GoPro so if you didn't want to click any of the above links you can search for it on YouTube if you're so inclined.

"Out, Out"

Meaning:

A boy is cutting wood with a personified "evil, snarling" saw, and cuts his hand when his sister calls him for dinner. He begs the doctor not to amputate but it is too late, the boy has lost too much blood and dies. Frost feels that if the boy had been allowed a half hour break, or told to take the rest of the day off, he would have been spared. After the boy dies everyone returns to their work, seemingly unaffected.Frost is showing us that to much work and no play can have serious consequences, causing physical harm, and such an obsession with our work that we forget the rest of the world. Though the poem is a bit of a hyperbole for what could happen, the message still gets across.

Antecedent Scenario:

Before the poem begins it is implied the boy has been working all day chopping wood or doing other chores.

Climax:

The boy's sister comes and calls him for dinner and the saw "leaps" out of his hand and cuts it badly.

Other Parts:

The doctor arrives and the boy begs not to get his hand amputated, but he has lost too much blood and dies. Everyone watching, presumably the boy's family, is unaffected because it wasn't them who got hurt, and return to their work.

Skeleton:

The poem appeals to our emotions by demonstrating the horrible affects of becoming disconcerted with the world because we are too obsessed with our work.

Content Genre Games:

Frost uses imagery and personification to describe the situation up to the climax, then after the climax is just vague enough to where it takes some thinking to figure out exactly what happened, but the general meaning is conveyed to the casual reader. Frost juxtaposes the peaceful outdoor setting with the violence of a severed hand to convey meaning.

Tone:

Frost's attitude shows that people need to take time to live and enjoy themselves without being completely consumed by their work.

Agency:

Frost gives agency to the saw portraying it as "snarling" and "jumping" out of the boy's hand. The boy is also given agency pleading for his life when he knows it is too late.

Roads Not Taken:

Frost could have described more with what the other people where doing before the incident and then referred back to them after the boys death.

Speech Acts:

There wasn't much dialogue in this poem. Frost mostly used onomatopoeia with the "buzzing" of the saw. The boy's sister did say "Supper" inciting the jumping of the saw to cut the boy's hand, and the boy did plead for his hand but there was no direct quotes.

Imagination:

Frost uses imagery in the beginning of the poem calling the reader to imagine the mountain ranges and at the end of the poem imagine how the boy dies since it isn't explicit.

Youtube Channel

Hello internet,

Please subscribe to my YouTube Channel, I just made it for my masterpiece and I have two videos so far and am working on a third this week. I'm really trying to build my channel because I really love making GoPro videos and want to share with the world. You don"t even have to make a YouTube account, just by having a blogger account you have a YouTube account. All you have to do is click this link and then hit the subscribe button on the page it takes you too. It won't send you annoying emails, or notifications of any kind unless you turn on that setting. If you subscribe it makes my videos more likely to come up from search results the more subscribers and views they have, and the more likely I am to get partnered by YouTube.
In case you missed the other link here's another one: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTOkziG6ypvz-eAwcaMC5Cg

Kayaking update

So it turns out there is supposed to be a huge south swell this weekend with up to eight foot waves in peak locations, which would make kayaking fairly unpleasant. Since Avila Beach is a south facing beach, and there is a coastal warning in our area for high surf, kayaking has been moved up the coast to Moro Bay where it would be a little more calm. Rentals there are actually cheaper as well at $12 for an hour and an additional $8 for every hour after that. Stand up paddle boards are the same.

Tobermory

After reading the story, I at first thought the last line: ""If he was trying German irregular verbs on the poor beast," said Clovis "He deserved all he got."" was making a Historical allusion perhaps to world war one or two, thinking perhaps the Germans mistreated elephants, thus making German "offensive" to elephants. I then realized that the story was published before either war. I then looked into German irregular verbs and found that there are a lot of them and they seem really complicated, so perhaps it is a joke about the complexity of the German language. I feel that this might be to simple or shallow for what it really means but I can't really come up with anything better.

This weekend's masterpiece event

This weekend I am trying to get together a group of people to go stand up paddling or kayaking at Avila beach Sunday the 30th around 1pm. Paddle boards and kayaks are $17 /hour each and double kayaks are $23/hour each. Please respond to the poll to your right on your preference and comment and tell me in person if you're interested. Also please subscribe to my YouTube Channel, where I will be posting videos about each weekends excursion.

Do what you love

Today in class Dr. Preston assigned us "homework" to do something with greatness. I interpreted that as take some time do really sit down and do what you love and only what you love with no distractions no multi- tasking and this afternoon/ evening I did just that.

My masterpiece is a YouTube channel, so I spent this afternoon researching YouTube monotization, copyright, etc.. along with making graphics for the channel header and profile picture. When I started I had no idea how to use the graphic program and now I feel I have a fairly good understanding of the process behind making graphic art. To be honest, it was a struggle. I watched several hours of tutorials and even longer playing with the program getting a feel for how it works. I loved every minute of it.

After spending so long preparing my channel visually, I am really excited to start making videos. This weekend I am planning ocean kayaking or stand up paddle-boarding at Avila beach this upcoming Sunday afternoon. Please comment to this post if you're interested or let me know at school. I am also going to put up a poll to see if people would be more interested in stand up paddling or kayaking. Lastly please subscribe to my YouTube channel I just started and it would really help me out :)

Masterpiece Project Trailer

I decided to make a trailer for my masterpiece to really show what my project is all about. Hope you enjoy.

Huxley Essay Expirience

Last night I sat down to write this essay and let me tell you, this was probably the hardest essay topic I've ever written. There were so many directions that I wanted to take it that I had trouble organizing my thoughts into sentences that made sense when read together. I felt I introduced what I wanted to talk about well, but when it came to actually talking about it I struggled. Intro paragraphs have always been my strong suit, and while this intro paragraph isn't my best, it still beats the rest of the essay. On that note, here, in all its glory, is my Huxley essay:

Huxley Essay

               “No one is perfect.” “You’re only human.” These two phrases have been used over and over again, often interchangeably, suggesting what it truly means to be human: to be imperfect. In his novel “A Brave New World” Aldous Huxley demonstrates how imperfection is needed for humanity through John’s struggle between outward conformity and inward questioning. In order to achieve perfection we must sacrifice out humanity. To achieve the perfection of the World State, societal members had to sacrifice their humanity and become “perfect.” Conformity meant efficiency and efficiency meant perfection, so people conformed. And because of neurological conditioning, no one questioned inwardly, except John. Outwardly John conformed several times, whether it was through his love for Lenina, or his taking of soma, while inwardly John questioned the very basics of society.

               John’s suicide is a symbol. After conforming via soma and Lenina, John became a part of the perfect society he questioned. Because he became part of the perfect society, John lost his humanity, symbolized by his death. On a less abstract level, John’s death also comes as a result of his struggle between inward questioning and outward conformity. John opposed the conformity of the World State society, condemning the blasphemy and seemingly vulgar nature of it, and spent a lot of time trying to avoid becoming a part of it. So when he did cave and take part in conforming, the side of him that inwardly questioned hated himself and terminated the existence of the part of him that conformed, thus ending his life. John’s struggle between outward conformity and inward questioning cost him his humanity and thus his life.

               Even at home on the reservation, John struggled between outward conformity and inward questioning. As a boy, John just wanted to be included and take part in the activities the other boys got to do. When he was denied, John questioned the rules which bound him. He questioned the people who restricted him. John built up such a conflict that he tried to kill someone who was sleeping with his mother. John’s struggle became external, his instinct to question overcame his will to conform.

               Imperfection is needed for humanity. The struggle between outward conformity and inward questioning is imperfect and thus human. In “A Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley, John exemplifies the humanity of the internal struggle between conformity and questioning.

               

Huxley Response

A Brave New World is an extreme. Huxley is however correct in saying that we aren't far from it. There are more parallels between A Brave New World and today's society than most people would care to admit. From drugs, to social classes, to control of the many by the few; today's society is not far from the totalitarian utopia of A Brave New World. 

There are at least 80 drug commercials on television every hour of every day. American society is bombarded with pharmaceutical related advertisements developing societal dependencies on drugs. You have a headache? Take a pill. You can't get it up? Take a pill. You can't sleep? Take a pill. Feeling down? Take a pill. Runny nose? Take a pill. While all these reasons may be medical, and all these pills and drugs are different for each symptom, there is still the reliance on them for comfort just like the society of A Brave New World's reliance on soma. In A Brave New World, people use soma to cure all their ailments. While A Brave New World may use one futuristic drug and America uses endless other drugs there is still a strong connection between A Brave New World and today's society around the basis of drug usage. 

In America today, the probability of a child born into the poorest quintile has around a 10% chance (depending on where he or she lives) of becoming part of the top quintile. While this is still 10% higher than the probability of an Epsilon becoming an Alpha in A Brave New World (0%), it shows a great parallel between A Brave New World and society today. Low social class mobility leads to strict castes correlating to the type of employment, housing, and education much like in A Brave New World, with Epsilons correlating to the poor and Alphas correlating to the rich. A Brave New World also demonstrates the population to wealth ratio we have in today's society with the top 1% controlling more wealth than the bottom 90% put together. There are very few rich people and a massive amount of poor. Much like the small amount of Alphas versus the enormous amounts of Epsilons. 

While today's society may not be as extreme as the society in A Brave New World, America defiantly had a lot of parallels to the totalitarian utopian society of Huxley's vision. 

Literature Analysis

1.     Exposition: Strong imagery describes the shanty town of brush homes by the beach with poor Native American families. The narrator tells how their days follow a routine rarely straying from it. Kino and his wife Juana have young son Coyotito who is still a baby. After the family eats breakfast, Coyotito is put in his box that serves as a crib, and a scorpion dangles above him. Coyotito laughs and tries to reach for it and the scorpion poses to attack. Kino moves in to grab it but it falls on Coyotito and stings him. Kino kills the scorpion and Juana tries to suck out the venom from Coyotito’s shoulder. Hearing the commotion the village gathers at their hut, showing the strong community feelings in the town. While killing the scorpion the narrator describes Kino feeling the “song of the enemy” and the rage that came with it. The metaphor of “songs” is used throughout the novella to refer to emotions that come along with various reoccurring situations, referring to the Native American culture’s strong emphasis on spirituality. Kino and Juana take Coyotito to town to see a doctor. The doctor refuses to see them because they have no money, exposing the great racism between whites and Native Americans. It is hard to tell where and when the novel takes place other than early morning in the brush village by the beach.

Inciting incident: Just like every other morning, after eating breakfast the family gets into the canoe and paddles out to the oyster bed just offshore. Kino dives down to collect oysters looking for pearls and finds a large oyster under and over-hang and thinks he spotted a pearl inside. He grabs the oyster and carries it and the other oysters he already collected back to the surface. Kino is afraid to open the big oyster and opens all the other ones before opening the big one. When he finally opens it, he finds a huge pearl inside. He returns home and the pearl is literally the talk of the town. With a crowd of neighbors in their home Kino and his wife talk about what to do with the money they get when they sell it. Kino talks of material things to improve his family’s life. The villagers can’t decide whether the pearl will be his downfall of upbringing. The narrator shows how people can be ruled by ambition for material gain through greed.

Climax: Kino and Juana argue over the pearl. Juana wants to just get rid of it seeing the bad fortune it is bringing them (Coyotito gets worse after a visit from the doctor, people come and try to steal the pearl, when Kino goes to sell it he believes he isn’t getting fair prices) and in the middle of the night she goes to down to the beach to throw it in the ocean but Kino stops her and beats her. Walking back to the hut he gets attacked by people trying to steal the pearl and Kino ends up killing one. Realizing what has happened, they make plans to flee. Trying to outrun trackers, Coyotito is accidentally shot because his cry is mistaken for a coyote by the trackers while Kino is moving in to kill them. Kino kills all three trackers, before realizing that Coyotito has been killed.

Falling Action: In mourning Kino and Juana walk back to the village with Coyotito’s body.

Resolution: Kino throws the pearl into the ocean.

The author’s purpose was to show how our ambitions for material gain lead to our downfall, and the killing of Kino’s son, which was Kino’s whole purpose for trying to gain material things, destroys him.

2.     The overarching theme of the novel is that human ambition for material gain leads to our downfall. (Just like Caesar)

3.     The tone of the narrator portrays Kino as a tragic hero, displaying respect for his ambitions, but recognizing his mistakes. The narrator uses descriptive details of the environment.

“Kino awakened in near dark. The starts still shone and the day had drawn only pale wash of light in the lower sky to the east. The roosters had been crowing for some time, and early pigs were already beginning their ceaseless turning of twigs and bits of wood to see whether anything to eat had been overlooked. Outside the brush house in the tuna clump, a covey of little birds chattered and flurried with their wings.”

“Every man suddenly became related to Kino’s pearl…. But Kino and Juana did not know these things. Because they were happy and excited they thought everyone shared their joy… Kino looked into his pearl, and Juana cast her eyelashes down and arranged her shawl to cover her face so that her excitement could not be seen. And in the incandescence of the pearl the pictures formed of the things Kino’s mind had considered in the past as impossible.” 

“It was the rifle that broke down the barriers. This was an impossibility, and if he could think of owning a rifle whole horizons were burst and he could rush on. For it is said that humans are never satisfied, that you give them one thing and they want something more. And it is said in disparagement, whereas it is one of the greatest talents the species has and one that has made it superior to animals that are satisfied with what they have.”

4.     Foreshadowing: The stinging of Coyotito and his near death experience foreshadows his death later in the novel

Allusion: alludes to the bible; Kino is trying to play god by choosing his own fate sacrifices his son Coyotito (Jesus). Coyotito dies for the sins of his father.

Metaphor: Kino and Juana are compared to animals being chased by hunters when they are trying to outrun the trackers. The hunters catch the prey at the resource they both need: water. Kino and Juana are near the water pool when the hunters catch up with them.

Imagery: Steinbeck uses strong imagery throughout the novella to describe that natural aspects of the town, the beach the mountains, showing the importance of nature.

Authorial Intrusion: The narrator often pauses the action to give insight to a theme or to describe the setting.

Indirect Characterization: Kino’s personality is slowly revealed throughout the story, with the actions he took and examples of his ambitious personality eventually leading to his downfall.

Direct Characterization: The doctor is given direct characterization describing him as a nostalgic, fat, selfish man, who is only in search of money and not in helping people.

Irony: The pearl had the potential to save Kino’s son and to improve his families living condition, but instead it lead to the death of his son, and the destruction of his property, leaving him in a worse state than he begun.

Connotation: The narrator mentions the songs of things but means songs in terms of stories and emotions that go with situations not literal rhythmic music.

Motif: throughout the story the motif that shows how ambition can lead to a human’s downfall was prominent.

Characterization

1.     Direct characterization: The doctor was described explicitly as lazy, fat selfish and wealthy.

The dealers are described to be well organized immoral people part of a larger organization trying to cheat the Indians out of their pearls. It is also noted that they want to move up in the world, and long to own an organization of their own.

Indirect Characterization: Kino’s character is revealed throughout the story as loving his family and wanting to move up in the world. However the longer he has the pearl the more his true ambition and immoral standards show.

The trackers come in at the end of the story and are their actions of tracking and trying to steal the pearl from Kino shows them as corrupt and evil.

The author uses both approaches to set up the juxtaposition between the characters that directly influence the plot line in a major way, against those who are more minor characters and are only a small part of the plot. The characters that are described via indirect characterization are ones I feel I know better because I know them through their actions and make my own interpretations of them, whereas the direct characters I only have what the narrator gives me and there isn’t a whole lot of room for my own interpretations.

2.     Yes, when the author is focusing on imagery, or making commentary, he uses more flowery language, whereas when he focuses on the characters the sentences are more concise and to the point.

3.     The protagonist is dynamic. He is both a family man and a businessman. Both trying to better his place in the world and help his family. He has large spiritual influence through his Native American ancestors that influence his moral and conduct. Kino is also a round character. In the beginning he is a moral family man, but after obtaining the pearl his morals slowly decline as he begins to focus more on his ambitions. He begins beating his wife and ignoring his obvious fate because his ambition has such a strong influence on his decision making.

4.     I felt like I had met a person, because I could connect with him. Throughout the book (from the time Kino gets the pearl to the end) I could identify with his ambition. I can identify with feeling like you have one shot and you need to do whatever you can to make it work in the best way possible, and I’ve felt myself become obsessed with that ambition and lose sight of the bigger picture much like Kino did. And by becoming so obsessed, ultimately I failed and I had to give up, and I wasted the opportunity all together just like Kino did by throwing the Pearl away. Sometimes it’s just not worth the trouble.

Lit Terms 3

Exposition: Literary device where background information is introduced such as setting, characters etc.

Expressionism: Literary movement that rejects naturalism and realism seeking to achieve psychological or spiritual reality rather than external events.

Fable: fictional story, in prose or verse, that features animals, mythical creatures, plants, inanimate objects or forces of nature which are given human like quality, and gives a moral quality.

Fallacy: a mistaken belief, especially one based on unsound argument.

Falling action: Part of a literary plot after the climax wrapping things up

Farce: a comic dramatic work using buffoonery and horseplay and typically including crude characterization and ludicrously improbable situations.

Figurative language: Writing appealing to the senses

Flashback: A scene that takes place at a time earlier than the main story

Foil: Characters that are opposites

Folk tale: a story originating from oral tradition

Foreshadow: a hint or warning that something will happen in the future

Free Verse: poetry that doesn’t have rhyme or regular meter

Genre: a group of compositions with similar characteristics

Gothic tale: story combining horror, fiction, and Romanticism

Hyperbole: Exaggeration or overstatement

Imagery: visually descriptive language

Implication: the conclusion that can be drawn from something, although it is not explicitly stated

Incongruity: inconsistent throughout

Inference: a conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning.

Irony: the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.

My Masterpiece: Senioritis

I never used to understand senioritis. I never could understand how people could lose so much motivation for school, life, whatever in such a short time. I used to look at seniors and think "You spent nearly thirteen years of your life in school. This is the last little stretch and you're just going to give up?" But today I had an epiphany.

I woke up late this morning and it was beautiful outside. But I couldn't enjoy it. I looked at the giant list of things I had to do from chores to homework to scholarships and gazing out the window I felt absolutely zero motivation to do any of it. It's now about 4:30 and I've still done nothing. About 20 minutes ago I decided to take a break from all the homework I wasn't doing and went outside. Even though the sun is setting in about an hour it was still nice out. I thought about how much nicer I would have been to have gone to the beach, or gone for a hike, or even just a short run, just to get away.

There is so much to do senior year. Even though I only have four classes and am done a noon, I'm more busy than I ever have been. These are the four most demanding classes I've taken, so it's really not any sort of break. On top of that there's college and even though I've finished all my applications I'm no where near to being done since I get emails every day from colleges asking me to do this that and the other thing, plus there's financial aid and scholarships to do. Applications where such a huge deal that now that they're complete I feel like I should be moving out already. The applications got me so excited and feeling so ready that when I had to go back to school after winter break it didn't seem real. This is senirotitis.

I've applied to college I'm ready to move on with my life to potentially move across the country and start off on my own. When you think about how crazy that is in the grand scheme of my life so far physics homework seems trivial. Why should I spend my time doing homework on such a beautiful day when I could be off having an adventure with my friends just enjoying the outdoors and the last few months I have living at home as a kid. Having all this homework to do has caused me to have the feeling that I have wasted a day, potentially one of my last days living around here.

This all comes back to what I want to do for my masterpiece. Lately all I've wanted to do is have adventures seeing new things and enjoying old things I've been doing for years like surfing and hiking. For my masterpiece I want to do all this with a group of friends or whoever wants to come. I've also really enjoyed film, editing and making videos with music, and I happen to own a GoPro. The company GoPro makes really amazing short videos of people doing fun things like I've explained, so why not start a YouTube channel where I can post various videos of my adventures with my friends. Also I want to have friends post/ make videos of all the cool things they get up to even after we all move away to show what we are all doing with our lives, and stay in touch.

Siddhartha Questions

So I've been searching for questions for about twenty minutes now and all the questions I found are either on someone else's blog already, or they are so basic and based on the plot and text that they aren't exactly "AP" material or worth my time or yours to even read let alone post about.

Hacking My Education

Today reminded me of a few things:
1. There's a lot of things about the way high school works that I don't like.
2. Waking up early sucks
3. I didn't really have a "break" because I was still at school for four hours nearly every day for wrestling and traveled every weekend to compete so I'm coming back to school more tired than I did when I left.
Today's conversation on Siddhartha was interesting and I learned a lot about Brahmins and finding your inner peace, but I made a connection that I think most students did that we didn't really talk about. What Siddhartha is going through is what we are all going through. we've spent our whole lives in school and now most of us are getting accepted to colleges, finishing up highschool, preparing to leave our families.. so it's at the point now where we are all feeling "ok.. now what.. what do I do and why do I want to do it..." It's time for us to start our lives and it's scary and exciting at the same time which is what we discussed was how Siddhartha was feeling. The piece really showed why seniors get senioritis.

Harvard Interview Video

Today I was interviewed by a Harvard Alum as part of the application process and I was instructed to bring pictures and projects that I had taken or made that represent my life or give insight to who I am or what I do. So instead of being boring and showing her a few pictures I decided to make a video so that I could share my life and my skills at making videos, so I would share it with the open source learning network. The interviewer liked it a lot so clearly remixing makes things more interesting...